The Gates

by Rachael Wade

  “Who hasn’t? Scarlet?”

  Holding up a lantern to our faces, her eyes showed her panic. “Yeah, she’s been watching us all bite each other’s heads off, just leaning up against the damn wall giving everyone dirty looks.”

  “Do you think she knows?”

  “Well, she knows Gavin’s been gone all night. And unfortunately, his alibi of being out with the others solving the blood-shortage situation is shot to hell.” She tilted her head to peer out into the living room at the escalating hysteria. “The others have all been here. Not to mention you haven’t been in sight. She might be a hussy, but she’s not a stupid one.”

  “I’m surprised she hasn’t confronted you about where I’ve been,” I mumbled, searching for Gavin in the crowd.

  The front door opened and in he came, only to be pulled aside by her before he made it two steps in the house. His jaw tightened and he glanced nervously around the room, immediately turning his attention to the ground when he spotted me back near the pantry. Scarlet held him to her side, up against the wall, clutching him by the throat while she whispered something in his ear. He tried to squirm away from her, but something she said made him flinch and froze him in place. Her thin, long fingers skimmed his chest and landed on his bowtie, still a disheveled mess from our tryst and half concealed by his cloak. He’d made an attempt to make his clothes look presentable, but it didn’t do much good. He was thoroughly roughed up from our multiple rolls in the hay, and I was smitten with the fact.

  I pulled Audrey by the elbow and ducked us farther back into the pantry, so my spying wasn’t obvious. My stomach doubled up into thick knots while I watched Scarlet continue to whisper in his ear. As if she knew exactly what I was thinking at that moment, her hand slid down his chest and farther south, her fingertips slithering underneath the cloak and over the front of his pants while she bit down on his earlobe. Releasing it from her teeth, she licked and bit his neck and deadpanned me out of the corner of her eye; her mouth curled into a pleased grin, as though reveling in the rage that had surely manifested itself on my face.

  I dropped my gaze to the floor and reached to balance myself on the wall. Audrey’s fingers clamped my upper arm and she jerked me out of the pantry and into the kitchen, forcing open the cupboard where she kept her dagger.

  “Aud …” My voice was barely audible, my eyes watering, my throat tight.

  “That’s it, Cam. I’m taking her out. I can’t take watching that shit and you sure as hell don’t deserve it. I don’t care what kind of blackmail she has on her hands— Damn it.” She blinked, shoving the dagger back in the cupboard in realization. “Okay, maybe I can’t use this, but I can at least give her a piece of my mind.”

  “Audrey, leave it alone. We have more important things to worry about right now.” I ducked my head and played with my fingers, twisting them together, trying to shake the image I just saw out of my head.

  “Camille, she’s climbing and pawing all over him. She’s practically undressing him in front of you. I’ve had it!” She surged forward.

  Before I had the chance to object again, Gabe barreled into the kitchen, stepping in front of us. “Aud, babe, whatever it is you’re about to get yourself into, I’m begging you to reconsider.” He glanced over his shoulder toward the house’s front window, where villagers were still trying to pile into our tiny house. He swiveled his head back to us. “Listen, we’ve got to convince these people we’re not going to start feeding on them to save our own asses. Now. Before it gets rowdier and Samira sics her watchdogs on the people again. We don’t want anyone getting hurt.”

  “Can’t we get Cecile to help us move everyone into the haven again? So we can handle this more discreetly?” Hearing Audrey say this, I lifted my head and sighed relief that Audrey’s mission was thwarted. As much as I would have loved to see her curse Scarlet out, it was the last thing we needed just now.

  “Cecile’s trying to help out in the streets,” Gabe said, “smacking a few people around with her magic to get them to quiet down. But it’s not helping this time. People are only getting more riled up.”

  I pushed myself off the kitchen wall. “That’s because they need to listen to someone who isn’t trying to take something from them, or exert more control over them. Cecile’s using her magic to shut them up, and we’re human, but we’re on the vampires’ sides right now. They need reassurance from someone who has just as much at stake as they do.”

  I slipped past Gabe and Audrey, but not toward the living room—I made my way through the crowd to climb the ladder that led to my sleeping quarters.

  “Everyone, I need you to listen to me,” I shouted from the top of the ladder. “People!” I shouted louder over the chaos, to no avail. Gabe and Aud sent me sympathetic glances, then looked frantically to Gavin for help, but he was arguing with Scarlet now in a far corner of the room. I rolled my eyes and darted over to my bed, reached under my blanket to grab my dagger. I was back to the top of the ladder in a flash, gazing down at everyone below, wondering if my words and actions would be enough to calm them. Would they trust me?

  Only one way to find out.

  With one swift slice, I cried out as I dragged the blade across my forearm, deepening the cut when I reached the inside of my elbow. Like I’d hoped, every vampire in our little group stood to attention, their necks snapping into whiplash when they sensed the fresh blood.

  “Camille!” Gavin shouted, his eyes bulging from his head. He looked to the others and warned them with his eyes, puffing out his chest as he pulled his knife and flew to the top of the ladder, the blur of his quick movements making me dizzy.

  “Just let me speak.” I yanked my arm away from him when he attempted to grab me and pull me out of sight; his eyes glazed over into a dead black when his fingers grazed the stream of blood. “Back away, Gavin.” I gritted my teeth and stepped farther away from him, turning my attention to the crowd below that had quickly quieted after my gory display.

  “This is beyond …” Gavin muttered, running both hands through his hair while he struggled to step back, to distance himself a few feet. “You’ve gone too far, Cam. Don’t do this.” He huffed under his breath again, keeping his head low and his now-gray, pleading eyes on me, his fangs fully visible from the hunting-mode switch that had been flipped.

  “I know why you’re all upset,” I addressed the crowd, not bothering to acknowledge Gavin’s disapproval. “You’ve seen Samira’s guards come into your villages and take lives, take your loved ones. And now this. So you’re angry. And usually, when you’re angry about something, it’s because deep down, you’re afraid. I know this because I’ve spent years being scared. And when I came to this place, met Samira …” I surveyed the room and threw my hands up in the air, exasperated. “Well, not even my nightmares could think this stuff up.”

  My gaze moved to Scarlet’s voluptuous figure, then swept her face with my undiluted anger. She stared up at me, her eyes a subdued black, their color similar to the slate gray I’d seen on Gavin moments ago. The other vampires instinctively held each other back, restraining one another with an arm on each other’s chest or shoulder, providing a supportive stance for one another.

  “I’ve had to say goodbye to everything,” I called to the crowd, “to trade it in for a new life and new love … but it’s not been without a price.” I clutched the silver knife tight at my side, allowing my other arm to drop to my side too; the blood rolled over the curve of my elbow like a thick malt. “I went from a comfortable home in Louisiana and a semi-normal life as a student to this,” I held up my dripping arm, “and I can tell you that I know the pain that comes with saying goodbye to earth, saying goodbye to your humanity. I might have come here human, but I left myself back in that Louisiana bayou. I barely recognize that girl anymore.”

  Without meeting Gavin’s certain stare, I maneuvered around him and began climbing down the ladder. He followed me in a flash, was behind me again when I reached the floor below, but didn’t speak. The room
was filled with deafening silence, but Scarlet’s glare was loud enough to shatter my eardrums as I continued.

  “But what I think prepared me for this was my past—before I ever met Gavin and came into your world. I’d already experienced loss. And when you lose something, you get scared. Scared it’ll happen again, scared you won’t make it back from the shell of the person you’ve become. And then comes the anger … because you’re scared.”

  “Cam,” Gabe ushered Audrey forward in front of him, both of them slowly moving toward me.

  “Sshh ,” Audrey said, nodding her head to urge me on.

  “Whatever’s going on with the blood supply, I can promise you my friends won’t take advantage of you, like Samira’s guards have. You’ve all been working together, day after day, with a common goal—and that goal hasn’t changed. If you’ve trusted my friends for the past few months, you can continue to trust them now. They’ll find a way to get what they need, and it won’t involve taking anything from you. You have my word. They won’t ask, but I’ll give them my blood before I let them take it from you.” I held up my arm once more, flinching when I felt the open flesh gape open with the movement.

  “She’s positively insane.” Josh came up behind Gabe, and shook his head and looked at me with childlike wonder, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

  “You’ve got that right,” Gabe whispered. “Just as crazy as her husband. Quite the pair—”

  My voice hitched when I heard Gabe’s comment, then I held back a chuckle when I noticed Josh slap him across the back of the head. Scanning the crowd to make sure Scarlet was still far enough away that she didn’t hear Gabe’s slip, I nodded once more to the crowd to reassure them, and then slipped away to the pantry, grabbing the first rag I spotted to wrap it around my wound.

  The villagers began deliberating again, the voices sweeping the room in hushed whispers as they scattered about. Gabe, Audrey and Josh all followed me into the pantry like puppy dogs, surrounding me while I dressed the cut.

  “That was …” Gabe shook his head, rubbing his hand across his forehead.

  “Awesome!” Josh’s voice peaked.

  Audrey poked Josh’s side. “Oh, don’t encourage her. But he’s sort of right, Cam. I can’t believe you did that.” She slipped me a discreet low five in front of Gabe, recoiling her hand when Gavin appeared behind her.

  “I was going to say suicidal,” Gabe muttered, stepping aside when Gavin brushed by him.

  “I second that. Camille, a word?” His brow was furrowed and he slipped his hands into his pockets, restlessly wiggling them around.

  “Go easy on her, Gav,” Audrey whispered. “Her theatrics worked. Everyone’s a lot calmer than they were a few minutes ago.” She turned and headed toward the pantry’s entry. Taking her cue, Gabe and Josh tagged along and left Gavin and me alone.

  “Gavin, I know you’re mad but I had to do something.”

  “Don’t ever do that again.” He reached forward to see my arm, stopping himself when he got too close. His nostrils flared and his eyes were still pools of dark gray.

  I stepped back a bit to give him room to breathe, realizing my close proximity was torture for him. I’d seen what the tiny bit of blood had done to him just hours ago, had seen his crazed surge of need. But that time, it was just enough to send his senses into overdrive, to intensify his emotions. Nowhere near the amount that had slathered my arm mere minutes ago and had soaked through the hastily applied bandage.

  “We’re all hungry and on edge in light of the blood situation,” he said, “and you do that? Right in front of me? Do you have any idea how terrified I was they’d all pounce on you? There was no way I’d be able to take them all on while they ripped you to pieces in front of me! They’re reformed, but they’re hungry, and they’re still monsters, Camille.”

  The pain on his face was heart wrenching and I wanted to reach up and cup his face to console him. I couldn’t. Scarlet was lurking, and anyway, there was a good chance he’d take my arm off if he got too close. “Gavin, I’m sorry. It was all I could think to do. I had to get their attention somehow.”

  “I can’t lose you. I feel like I just got you back.” His jaw tightened and he swallowed hard. I watched him brush his shaking fingers across his lips while I stood there, powerless to comfort him.

  “What I saw tonight hurt me too, you know.” I looked down from his gaze, recalling Scarlet’s hands and where they’d been. Risking a peek up at him, I instantly regretted my words when I saw his face flush with anguish.

  “You shouldn’t have had to see that. I begged her not to do that in front of you, begged her to leave me alone.” He let his weight fall to the side of the pantry shelf, tightened his fists through his pockets. “This is excruciating. Not being able to touch you right now …” He shifted his tormented gaze to mine.

  “You should go.”

  “I don’t want to. I want to reach out and hold you, I want you in my arms. I wish I could erase those images from your memory and drive my dagger straight into her heart.”

  “Well, I’d gladly help you when the opportunity presents itself. But you can’t, and you need to go. I won’t have you around me any longer while I’m like this.” I lifted my arm and weakly gestured toward the entryway.

  He nodded. “I need to get back anyway, talk to the others and come up with a plan. Cecile gave us some supplies to feed Vivienne’s spell, but that energy won’t sustain us for long. We need blood. Now.”

  “I know. Gabe told me getting blood from the castle reserve wasn’t an option anymore.”

  “Unfortunately not.” He backed away, let me lead him out of the pantry. “I’m going to take off, but I need to see you. I need to see my wife,” he whispered, taking the tips of my fingers in his, lightly brushing his thumb over my ring. “Meet me in the morning before sunrise? If anyone asks, just tell them you’re going to the well. Scarlet knows I’ll be working in the village, so I’ll have an alibi.”

  “I meant what I said, Gav. I’ll give you what I can.”

  “Absolutely not.”

  “But this is an emergency. What if you don’t find the supply?”

  “Cam, even if we took every ounce from you and left you anemic, it still wouldn’t be enough. The answer’s no. We’ll find another way. Now meet me before dawn? Please?”

  “Fine. I’ll be there,” I whispered back, gently pulling my fingers from his grasp. “And hey …”

  “Yeah?”

  “What did Scarlet say to you … earlier? You looked like you’d seen a ghost. Do you think she did this?”

  “It was nothing. Don’t worry about it. The thought’s crossed my mind, but I don’t know yet. Tomorrow, right before sunrise.” He rustled his hands in his pockets again, sighing loudly before he disappeared into the gathering in the living area.

  He resumed his place next to her side, and in moments Gabe and Josh joined them to begin talking to the vampires and villagers again. I couldn’t repress the sick feeling that rose in my stomach as I watched the uncertainty spread across each face in the room, seizing everyone’s peace like a merciless attacker. Joining Audrey, I grabbed a bucket with my good arm and we fled out the back door to the well, thankful that I had a brief windmill meeting to look forward to in the midst of the impending doom that seemed to hover over our little family like a heavy dust cloud.

  13

  TURNING TABLES

  “Well? Did you find anything out?” I whispered, hiding behind the windmill door while Gavin snuck in, letting his hood down. The predawn Amaranthian sky was black, its sun just minutes from rising. I tossed my journal down to greet him, relieved to see him. I’d gotten to the windmill early and tried to distract myself from worrying by writing.

  He shook his head, took a deep breath. “Well, Scarlet definitely had nothing to do with it.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “I questioned her, and yeah, I’m sure. She might be threatening us with Arianna, but no blood puts her in danger too, even
if she finds a way to feed herself. She needs us to bring Samira down. The last thing she wants is for Samira to find out we have none. Scarlet knows that knowledge will give Samira power over us. If it’s anything she’s telling the truth about, it’s how much she loathes her.” He clutched me in his arms and his fiery gaze danced across my body. “Can we talk about it after?”

  “What? Gav, we need to talk about it now. What are we going to do—? And after what exactly?”

  “After I taste you.” He dipped his mouth down to mine, letting his tongue slip between my lips. The panic I felt passed through me and a soft moan replaced the tension. I melted in his arms and slipped my hands around his neck, pressed my body harder to his, pulling down on his cloak to peel it over his shoulders.

  He spun me around and pushed me up against the door, leaning his weight against my back to pin me to it with his hips. Angling my chin to the side so he could see my mouth, his other hand clasped the side of my waist and his breath flickered hot in my hair. “You don’t know how good you taste,” he breathed, finding my elbow and gently rubbing his thumb across my thick bandage. “This feeling okay? I’ll be gentle with it, I promise.”

  “Mhhmm. It’s better.” I welcomed his soft strokes over the crease of my elbow and swiveled my head farther back, to bring my lips closer to his.

  He leaned in and looked at my lips with wonder before he kissed them hungrily again, his hands gliding down the sides of my hips to clutch my rear. “I can’t promise the same for this delicious backside, though.”

  “No safety pin today,” I whispered against his jaw.

  He snatched up my skirt, tore it straight down the middle and gathered it near my waist. “Won’t be needing it.”

  “Gavin! What’ll I wear home?”

  “Cloak.” His voice roughened and he ripped harder, tossing the material to the ground. I felt his smile when he kissed my neck, and shivers ran down my back at the sound of his low growl.

  “I made that! This is the second one you’ve torn! I don’t have many of those, you know.”